Press operating mechanism



may 3, 1938.

J. M. DEWEY 2,116,143 PRESS OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 12, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTO N EY5 May 3, 1938. J. M. DEWEY PRESSOPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 12, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMESM. DEWEY B 9L TTORNEKS May 3, 1938.

J. M. DEWEY PRESS OPERATING MEcHAN'IsM Filed July 12, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JAMES M. DEWEY BY 76/4 8,

9 M NEY5 W May 3, 1938. J. M. DEWE Y' PRESS OPERATING MECHANISM FiledJuly 12, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JAMES M. DEWEY w, #fly 9 77/17:

AT ORNEYJ Patented May 3, 1938 PRESS OPERATING MECHANISM ApplicationJuly 12, 1935, Serial No. 31,088

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a pressing machine of the typeused in laundryand garment work and to operating and control mechanism therefor.

My improved pressing machine provides a pair of coacting pressingmembers and power mechanism for closing them, the power mechanism havinglow-power and high-power motion transmitting mechanisms effectiverespectively during the early and later portions of the press closingmovement. The control mechanism is arranged with a part normally inposition where it disables or renders ineffective the high-powermechanism and the control means is so arranged that both hands of theoperator are occupied in rendering this high-power mechanism effectiveso that the operator cannot be injured at the time the highpowermechanism becomes operative to close the press.

My improved mechanism also provides an arrangement of the type justdescribed in which the high-power mechanism is not onlyineifective toproduce heavy pressure between the pressing members but the pressclosing mechanism as a whole is ineffective to completely close thepressing members if the disabling part mentioned in the precedingparagraph has not been moved to its efiective or operative position.This not only prevents the operator from having a hand crushed betweenthe pressing members but also prevents any damage whatsover to theoperators hand in case it should be inadvertently between the members asthey start to close. l

Other features of my invention include the novel arrangements of theparts of the press closing mechanism and of the control mechanismtherefor as more fully set forth in the accompanying specification andas illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a pressing machineembodying my invention, the pressing elements being shown in openposition and the operating and control mechanism being shown in sectionand somewhat diagrammatic to more clearly illustrate the same; Figs. 2and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1, showing two steps of a falseoperation of the machine occurring when the disabling part of themechanism has not been moved to operative position; while Fig. i showsthe pressing machine completely closed upon a proper operation of thesame.

My invention is shown applied to a pressing machine of the scissors typehaving a stationary pressing bed and a coacting head movable by a powerlever into and out of engagement with the bed. However, it will beunderstood that the principles set forth here are equally applicable toother types of pressing machines as will be readily understood by thoseskilled in this art.

In the machine illustrated, a frame is supports on an upstandingpedestal ii a pressing bed i2. On a bracket of the frame is mounted ahead lever i3 pivoted to the frame at M intermediate its ends. Upon theforward end of the head lever is a pressing head or chest i5 adapted tocoact with the bed 82 in a pressing operation.

Either or both of the pressing members may be supplied with a heatingmedium as desired.

Power means is provided for closing the press and in the presentinstance this comprises a cylinder and piston motor i6 pivotally mountedat ill on a bracket connected with the frame it. The motor comprises acylinder that in which reciprocates a piston 562) connected by a pistonrod Ito with mechanism for operating the head toward and away from thebed. The cylinder 2b is provided with a leak port Hid at its rear endfor a purpose later described. This head operating mechanism comprisesboth low and highpower motion transmitting mechanisms, the lowpowermechanism being effective to move the pressing head at a relatively highrate of speed toward the bed but not into engagement therewith, whilethe high-power mechanism automatically becomes eifective during thelatter part of the head closing movement and moves the pressing head ata relatively low rate of speed but with greatly increased power appliedthere to during the final closing movement of the pressing members. Thearrangement shown comprises a second lever iii of bellcrank shapepivotally mounted at i9 upon the head lever. The longer arm Ma of thisbellcrank is pivotally connected at 2G with the piston rod Etc alreadydescribed. The shorter arm Mb of the bellcrank carries a follower BE inthe form of a roller which travels upon a suitably arranged camconnected with the pressing machine frame, this cam having astationarypart 22 and a movable part 23. The bellcrank lever is is normally biasedin a clockwise direction by a spring 23 connected between the arm Eda ofthe bellcrank and a bracket on the head lever. The press head isnormally biased toward its open position by a spring 25 connectedbetween the head lever and a part of the frame. the movement of pistonltb at opposite ends of its stroke.

The movable cam part 23 has an interlocking sliding engagement withguideways 28 on the frame and is movable along these guideways into 55Spring members 26 and El cushion and out of operativeposition by a smallcylinder and piston motor 29. This motor has a cylinder 29a in whichreciprocates a piston 291) whose piston rod 290 is pivotally connectedwith the part 23. A spring 39 biases the cam part toward inoperative orineffective position and a stop mem ber 3| limits the movement of part23 so that upon actuation of motor 29 the part 23 becomes in effect acontinuation of the stationary cam portion 22. The cam portion 22 has anend shoulder 22a and the cam part 23 has an end shoulder 23a, the effectof which will be presently described.

Motive fluid is supplied to motor Hi from a source of fluid supply 3?.by way of conduit 33, valve mechanism 34 and conduit 35. Pressure fluidis supplied to motor 29 by conduits 32 and 33, valve mechanism 36 andconduit 31. The mechanisms 34 and 33 are similar and one only will bedescribed. Valve mechanism 34 comprises a casing which houses a normallyclosed inlet valve 34a and a normally open outlet valve 3% mounted upona common stem 34c and held in their normal position by a spring 3401. Alever 34c serves to transmit motion from a servo motor 34 to the valvestem 340 to actuate the valves when the servo motor is energized. Amanual 349 is provided for hand operation of the valves. Servo motors 34and 35f are energized automatically upon predetermined travel of thepiston Nib. The parts provided for this purpose are here shown as a port38 suitably located in the Wall of cylinder Hi0. and communicating byconduit 39 and branch conduits 39a and 3% with servo motors 34 and 36)respectively.

The operation of the mechanism with the parts in the position of Fig. 1is as follows: The operator arranges the lay of the work upon the bed l2and actuates manuals 34g and 36g. This closes valve 34b and opens valve34a so as to supply motive fluid to motor I6 through the conduit 35.Piston |6b begins its power stroke moving rearwardly or to the left asviewed in the various drawings. The power is applied at the point 20 andhas a tendency to rotate the bellcrank H3 in a counterclockwisedirection about its pivot l9. However contact between the follower 2|and the stationary cam portion 22 prevents such motion so that thelevers l3 and I8 move as a unit in press closing direction. The head atthis time is being moved by a power arm which corresponds to thedistance between the points 20 and I4. Simultaneously with the actuationof manual 349, manual 36g was operated which closed valve 36b and openedvalve 36a to supply motive fluid through conduit 31 to the motor 29. Thepiston 29b thereupon made a stroke upwardly until it engaged stop 3| atwhich time cam part 23 is held in alignment with cam portion 22 as shownin Fig. 4. The follower 2| therefore continues along cam portions 22 and23 until the follower passes over the heel of the part 23 onto theshoulder 230.. When this occurs relative movement is possible betweenbellcrank I8 and head lever l3 so that the bellcrank moves in acounterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 4, at which time thefollower 2| acts as a fulcrum against the shoulder 23a and power isapplied to the head lever l3 at the point l9 through the multiplicationafforded by the long and short arms of the bellcrank lever. Also at thistime the leverage applied to the head lever is measured by the armbetween the points 19 and I4. As the press parts reach the fully closedposition of Fig. 4, piston 16b passesport 38, thus admitting pressurefluid through conduits 39, 39a and 39b to servo motors 34 and 36],causing the pistons of these motors to move upwardly, thus holding thevalves 34a and 34b and 3600 and. 36b in their actuated positions. Thepress is thus held closed and the operator may release the manuals.

To open the press, the operator moves manual 349 in a counterclockwisedirection against the effect of servo motor 34] thus permitting spring34m to return valves 34a and 34b to their normal positions, as shown inFig. 1, whereupon pressure fluid is evacuated from the right-hand orforward end of cylinder lfia, through conduit 35 and out the exhaustvalve 342;. Spring 24 then becomes effective to rotate bellcrank IS in aclockwise direction until follower 2| has passed off the shoulderportion 23a, whereupon spring 25 becomes effective 'toopen the head andreturn piston lEb to the right in cylinder l6. After piston l6b haspassed port 38 on its return stroke, conduit 39 is open to atmospherethrough leak port "id and servo motors 34 and 3B) are then evacuated atwhich time valves 36a and 36b are returned to the position of Fig. 1 bytheir spring 36d, thus evacuating motor 29 and permitting the return ofcam part 23 to the position of Fig. 1 under the influence of spring 30.The press is thus fully opened and ready for another operation.

If, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the operator actuates manual 34g only,motive fluid is supplied through conduits 32 and 33 and valve 340. toconduit 35 and piston |6b makes a stroke rearwardly or to the left asshown. The follower 2| will travel along cam portion 22 until it passesover the heel of this cam portion onto the shoulder portion 22a. Thisoccurs when piston lBb has completed only a small portion of its strokeas will be apparent from the drawings. The piston,however,continues itsstroke causing counterclockwise movement of bellcrank l8 relative to thehead lever l3 until the parts reach the position of Fig. 2. It will benoted however that upon complete stroke of the piston lBb the head willnot touch the bed and the operator cannot be injured. If piston |6bcompletes its stroke so as to open port 38, motive fluid will besupplied through conduits 39 and 39a and 39b to servo motors 34f and 36fwhich will maintain the valves in casing 34 in their actuated positionand will actuate the valves in casing 36 to their operated position asshown in Fig. 3, 5'

that is, with valve 3611 open and valve 36b closed. This will energizemotor 29 but it will be obvious that with the motor 29 of very low poweras shown and described and with the parts in the position of Fig. 2, orsubstantially so, motor 29 is f wholly ineffective to cause any changein the position of the parts and the press will remain in partiallyclosed position as shown in Fig. 3 until the operator moves manual 34gin a counterclockwise direction to open the press, whereupon it may beproperly closed by actuation of both manuals as previously described.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressingmembers, means for relatively moving said members to close and open thepress including power means and lowand highpower motion transmittingmechanisms actuated thereby, said lowand high-power mechanisms beingarranged for operation during the early and later parts respectively ofsaid relative closing movement, there being a part of said highpowermechanism normally rendering the same ineffective to producepress-closing movement, enabling means adapted when actuated to rendersaid part eiTective, said enabling means being so constructed andarranged that it is inoperative to render said part effective after saidhigh-power mechanism has been actuated, and. two manually operablecontrol members spaced to require a hand of the operator on each, onefor actuating said enabling means, and the other for actuating saidpower means in press-closing direction.

2. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressingmembers, means for relatively moving said members to close and open thepress including power means and lowand high-power motion transmittingmechanisms actuated thereby, said lowand high-power mechanisms beingarranged for operation during the early and later parts respectively ofsaid relative closing movement, a member forming an operative part ofboth the lowand high-power mechanisms and normally in inoperativeposition rendering said mechanisms ineffective to completely close thepress, enabling means adapted when actuated to move said last namedmember to operative position, and two spaced safety control manuals, onehaving an operative connection with said enabling means for actuatingit, and the other having an operative connection with said power meansfor actuating the same in pressclosing direction.

3. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressingmembers, means for relatively moving said members to close and open thepress including power means and lowand high-power leverage mechanismsactuated thereby, said lowand high-power mechanisms being arranged foroperation during earlier and later parts respectively of said relativeclosing movement, a part of said high-power leverage mechanism beingnormally biased to inoperative position, means for moving said part tooperative position, a manual for controlling said last named means, amanual for controlling said power means, and said manuals being spacedso as to require two hands of an operator for their simultaneousactuation.

4. A pressing machine as in claim 3, and including means effectiveautomatically upon press closure for holding the press closed.

5. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressingmembers, means for relatively moving said members to close and open thepress includingpower means and lowand high-power leverage mechanismsactuated thereby, said lowand high-power mechanisms being arranged foroperation during earlier and later parts respectively of said relativeclosing movement, said high-power leverage mechanism having a fulcrumpart, means biasing said part to inoperative position for rendering saidhighpower mechanism ineffective to close the press, means for movingsaid part to operative position, a manual for controlling said lastnamed means, a manual for controlling said power means, and said manualsbeing spaced so as to require two hands of an operator for theirsimultaneous actuation.

6. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting pressing members, one ofwhich is movable toward and from the other, a lever for moving saidmovable member, a lever of the second order pivotally mounted on thefirst lever, power means operatively connected with said second namedlever, a cam having a part cooperating with the fulcrum of said secondnamed lever to hold said second lever from substantial movement relativeto said first named lever during the earlier portion of press-closingmovement of said power means, said cam having a movable part adapted tocooperate with said fulcrum of said second named lever during the laterportion of press-closing movefor moving said movable cam part tooperative position, a manual for controlling said last named means, amanual for controlling said power means, and said manuals being spacedso as to require two hands of an operator for their simultaneousoperation.

7. A pressing machine as in claim 6, in which said power means is acylinder and piston motor, fluid actuated means is provided for holdingeach of said manuals in operated position, and means is provided forsupplying fluid to said holding means upon predetermined press-closingmovement of said motor.

8. In a pressing machine, a pressing bed, a pressing head movable towardand away from said bed to close and open the press, means biasing saidhead toward open position, a head lever movable about an axis for movingsaid headto close the press, a second lever pivotally mounted on saidhead lever, a motor operatively connected with said second lever at apoint nearer said axis than said pivotal mounting, a fulcrum for saidsecond lever and independent of said head lever, said fulcrum having apart for holding said'secnd lever from substantial movement relative tosaid head lever during the first portion of press closing movement ofsaid motor, said fulcrum having a movable part for efiective cooperationwith said second lever during the latter portion of press closingmovement of said motor and arranged to provide movement of said secondlever relative to said head lever to apply power thereto, means biasingsaid movable part to ineffective position, means for moving said movablepart to effective position, a control member for said last named means,a control member for said motor, and said control members being spacedso as to require two hands of an operator for their simultaneousoperation.

JAMES M. DEWEY.

